The present invention relates, in general, to a load-moment support, and more particularly to a load-moment support intended for use with an attachment element mounted to one end of a longitudinal aluminum profile of a lifting apparatus.
It is generally known to mount, for example, tools to an end face of a lifting beam via a load-moment support in the form of a flange plate. German Pat. No. DE 43 42 716 A1 discloses, for example, a lifting upright with a lifting beam having an end face for attachment of a parallel gripper via an interposed flange plate, which is usually welded to the end face of the lifting beam. A drawback of such a securement of the load-moment support is the inability to transfer such a load-moment support to a lifting beam in the form of a longitudinal aluminum profile.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved load-moment support, which obviates prior art shortcomings and can be secured to an end face of a longitudinal aluminum profile while still being able to absorb high loads.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a load-moment support includes a frame structure which embraces four outer sides at the end of the longitudinal aluminum profile in a play-free manner, with the frame structure having lower abutment surfaces to rest, respectively, against a first pair of opposite outer sides at a level with an end face of the longitudinal aluminum profile, and two tilting edges arranged, respectively, on a second pair of opposite outer sides and extending flush with the end side of the longitudinal aluminum profile; and fasteners for securing the attachment element at least to the lower abutment surfaces at the end face of the longitudinal aluminum profile in such a manner that the attachment element abuts without play against the end face as well as against the tilting edges and against the lower abutment surfaces of the frame structure.
The present invention resolves prior art problems by providing a load-moment support which is so configured that the attachment element can be secured by a screw fastener which is subjected to tensile stress only acting along the screw fastener. All transverse forces are absorbed by the outer sides of the longitudinal aluminum profile via the abutment surfaces of the load-moment support (or torque support).
According to another feature of the present invention, the frame structure includes two base elements, and transverse elements, which are arranged on the base elements and are fixed to one another, wherein the base elements have abutment surfaces abutting without play against two opposite outer sides of the longitudinal aluminum profile, and the transverse elements have abutment surfaces abutting without play against the other two opposite outer sides of the longitudinal aluminum profile, wherein a transverse element of one base element is fixed to a transverse element of the other base element, with at least two spaced-apart pairs of transverse elements provided on each outer side, whereby the lowermost pair extends at a level with the end face of the longitudinal aluminum profile, and wherein each base element has at least one tilting edge which is arranged flush with the end face of the longitudinal aluminum profile, and wherein the attachment element, which is fastened on the end face, abuts without play against the end face as well as against each tilting edge and against the two lower pairs of transverse elements and is fastened at least on the lower pairs of transverse elements.
A play-free and reliable abutment of the attachment element can be realized by securing the attachment element on the end face of the longitudinal aluminum profile by means of a screw fastener.
According to another feature of the present invention, the base elements and the transverse elements are of plate-like configuration, thereby realizing a particularly simple structure. Suitably, the transverse elements are located in parallel planes extending transversely to the base elements.
In order to ensure a transfer of the forces being introduced into the longitudinal aluminum profile via the load-moment support, the transverse elements may be firmly connected to one another by screw fasteners.
According to another feature of the present invention, the frame structure has two such transverse elements at one end of each of the base elements and two such transverse elements at the other end of each of the base elements, wherein the transverse elements at each of the ends of each base element are disposed at a same level and extend conically toward one another. In this way, a sufficient form-fit can be implemented, while taking into account production tolerances.
According to another feature of the present invention, each of the base elements is made of sheet metal, with the transverse elements on the same end being formed through 90xc2x0 bending with respect to the base element.
A cost-effective feature of the load-moment support involves the fabrication of each of the base elements with the transverse elements in a U-shaped configuration, whereby the two base elements with the transverse elements engage one another, when mounted to the longitudinal aluminum profile.
According to another feature of the present invention, the lower one of the pairs of transverse elements is spaced from the confronting attachment element at formation of a gap-shaped clearance before final securement of the attachment element, whereby the clearance is closed as the attachment element is drawn during final securement to the lower one of the pairs of transverse elements under a remaining elastic force application. In this way, the attachment element is drawn in an elastically prestressed manner against the tilting edges of the base elements and the end face of the longitudinal aluminum profile.
Installation of the load-moment support according to the present invention can be simplified by forming the longitudinal aluminum profile with longitudinal grooves for securement of the base elements by means of sliding blocks.